To save the imperiled spotted owl, the Obama administration is moving forward with a controversial plan to shoot barred owls, a rival bird that has shoved its smaller cousin aside.

The plan is the latest federal attempt to protect the northern spotted owl, the passive, one-pound bird that sparked an epic battle over logging in the Pacific Northwest two decades ago.

The government set aside millions of acres of forest to protect the owl, but the bird’s population continues to decline — a 40 percent slide in 25 years.

Officials acknowledge that the plan to kill barred owls creates an ethical dilemma, but say an experiment on private land in northern California has shown promising results. Spotted owls have returned to historic territories after barred owls were removed.

Salazar and other officials stressed the new plan’s job-creation component...

Job creation?!? You have absolutely got to be kidding me! How many people will they employ to go around blasting barred owls to smithereens? 50? 100? 200 or more? Regardless, it won't be enough to make a dent in the unemployment numbers.

Give obama and his stooges credit for one thing, though. At least they're consistent. This decision runs true to other decisions made by the obama administration - doing whatever is necessary to help its favored interests prosper by eliminating their competition.